Controversial decisions by stewards in France and England at the weekend are to be the subject of appeals by trainers George Margarson and David Nicholls.
Margarson yesterday confirmed he will appeal against the controversial demotion of Barathea Guest in the Grand Criterium at Longchamp.
Margarson has decided to fight the decision to award Sunday's Group One contest to Aidan O'Brien's Ciro, whom his colt was adjudged to have hampered on the home turn.
Nicholls is going ahead with an appeal against the York stewards' decision not to promote Pepperdine to first place after the gelding finished runner-up to Get Stuck In in Saturday's Coral Sprint Trophy.
Margarson, and jockey Philip Robinson - who was banned for four days - were both unhappy at the verdict. And Margarson, who trains just 17 horses and has never saddled a Group One winner, said: "I wasn't really upset, just annoyed. There are no gripes with anyone and no malice against the stewards - they were just doing their job.
"But our horse moved only six inches at the most - not even half a stride - the other horse wandered all over the course.
"They made a great deal of the fact that he was only beaten a neck at the line but at one stage ours was six lengths clear then he idled in front."
In the York race, Pepperdine, ridden by Kieren Fallon, was carried across the course by Get Stuck In inside the final furlong and was beaten a length by Linda Perratt's gelding.
Get Stuck In's rider Carl Lowther was suspended for three days for careless riding, but the stewards concluded that the interference his mount caused did not improve his placing - they felt he would have won anyway.
Nicholls said: "It is not easy to get much out of Kieren but he has said to me he would have won if the horse had been able to go straight and that is good enough for me."
Saturday's showdown between three of the top four in the betting on next year's 2,000 Guineas moved a step nearer reality yesterday.
Distant Music, Fasliyev and King's Best each stood their ground at the confirmation stage for The Thoroughbred Corporation Dewhurst Stakes, which promises to determine Europe's two-year-old championship.
The unbeaten trio are among 12 acceptors for the Dewhurst, with O'Brien leaving in a total of seven. Distant Music is reported to be in fine shape ahead of Saturday's race.
2,000 Guineas: William Hill betting: 4-1 Distant Music, 6-1 Fasliyev, 10-1 Giant's Causeway, 14-1 King's Best, 16-1 Bernstein, 25-1 bar.
Last year's winner Alborada was among 13 confirmations made yesterday for Saturday's Dubai Champion Stakes. The Sir Mark Prescott-trained filly has been restricted to one outing this term - when a modest fifth at Goodwood in July - but was given the go-ahead to bid for a repeat victory last weekend.
Also among the acceptors for the richest race on "Champions day" are last season's Derby winner High-Rise and Henry Cecil's highly-regarded filly Shiva.
Sir Michael Stoute has left in Greek Dance but withdrawn Insatiable, who finished second to Alborada last year.
